Comparing the SF Giants' biggest workout fiends

GIANTS COUNTDOWN

Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Andres Torres watches his RBI base hit fly deep into the outfield to push the Giants ahead for the 10-9 victory over the Florida Marlins in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 28, 2010.

Andres Torres watches his RBI base hit fly deep into the outfield to push the Giants ahead for the 10-9 victory over the Florida Marlins in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 28, 2010.

Photo: Chad Ziemendorf, The Chronicle

Comparing the SF Giants' biggest workout fiends

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Q:Going into spring training, which Giant is in the best shape?

A:Pablo Sandoval is surely the most improved Giant in terms of physical conditioning, having worked off about 30 pounds, kilos or moon-units, depending on your source. But Sandoval is still a level below some other Giants.

If you could put the entire team through a series of rigorous physical tests, a baseball decathlon, the winner might be Brian Wilson or Andres Torres.

A recent Sports Illustrated story portrays Wilson as a slobbering workout monster. He is a very intense guy who reportedly attacks his workouts. Barry Zito is also famous for his diligent conditioning program, which has contributed to him not missing a start because of injury.

But the guess here is that no Giant is more fit than Torres, who is 33. He essentially has turned over his life to baseball. He believes he has fewer natural gifts than the game's stars, and therefore his career survival depends on superb training.

Torres says he works out five or six days a week in the offseason, a minimum of five hours per day. That's a combination of workouts, including weight training, sprint training and baseball work.

He said he took one week off following the World Series before jumping into serious training.

"I'm in the best shape of my life," Torres told me Friday. "I'm faster and stronger than I've ever been. ... Last year I was in shape, but not like this year."

The previous 12 offseasons, Torres played a full schedule of winter ball. This time, he skipped winter ball to concentrate on conditioning and hitting technique.

"If you hit, you play," he said.

Last season, he did both.

Editor's note: The Chronicle is addressing a question per day about this year's Giants until pitchers and catchers report Monday.

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